Grousbeck On Smart Selection: 'This Has Nothing To Do With Rajon Rondo'
BOSTON (CBS) -- On the night of the 2014 NBA draft, Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Adam Jones and Rich Keefe at the TD Garden to discuss Boston's first selection of the night, Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart.
The Celtics used the sixth overall pick to draft Smart, further speculating that Rajon Rondo is on his way out of Boston. But Grousbeck said that is not the case.
"This has nothing to do with Rajon Rondo," said Grousbeck. "It has everything to do with a kid with a lot of potential for the future, and one that a lot of teams were interested in as well.
"We think (Smart) was the best available, and we think Rondo is one of the best point guards on the planet," said Grousbeck. "We have a roster we have to manage next year, but we like them both.
Grousbeck said the Celtics war room was thrilled draft Smart, and said there's a lot to like about him.
"It's the toughness; he's a bull and he's relentless," Grousbeck said of Smart. "He can defend anybody and is a quality offensive player. There is just a lot of power in the kid. Red [Auerbach] told me back in the day 'you want instigators, not retaliators.' This kid is an instigator."
Read: Celtics Draft Kentucky G/F James Young 17th Overall
Grousbeck hinted after the draft lottery that the Celtics were hoping for some fireworks this off-season, but it doesn't look as though they'll come on draft night.
"I'm pretty sure I said we would be looking for fireworks rather than guaranteeing them, but nobody was looking for a deal," said Grousbeck. "We were very active on the phones, as you can imagine. We knew we liked six or seven kids in the draft and knew we weren't going to trade down... We've been working the phones, but it takes two."
Hear the full interview below:
Celtics Owner Wyc Grousbeck On Marcus Smart
MORE CELTICS COVERAGE FROM CBS BOSTON
